Snail mail, email, text solicitations, phone calls — regardless of the vehicle you use for your fundraising “ask”/pitch, remember to keep it simple. Just like in an invitation to any kind of event, whether it’s a kid’s birthday party, an open house or a gala, you know that you always want to include “who, what, why, where”, right? Don’t forget to also include an email address and phone number. I know that phone numbers are sometimes tricky when staff is working remotely, but surely there is some way that someone who wants to donate can speak to someone to get their questions answered. Ideally you give a direct phone number (i.e. an office number that “rings through” to a cell or home number), but if that’s not possible, then at least ensure that somebody on your team will check messages throughout the day and return calls promptly. (If that “designated staff member” goes on vacation or is unavailable, make sure that someone else is assigned to monitor the calls on a daily basis.) You all work too hard to have your solicitations finally pan out, but then the donation doesn’t happen because the donor can’t get a question answered.
The KISS Method*
The KISS Method*
The KISS Method*
Snail mail, email, text solicitations, phone calls — regardless of the vehicle you use for your fundraising “ask”/pitch, remember to keep it simple. Just like in an invitation to any kind of event, whether it’s a kid’s birthday party, an open house or a gala, you know that you always want to include “who, what, why, where”, right? Don’t forget to also include an email address and phone number. I know that phone numbers are sometimes tricky when staff is working remotely, but surely there is some way that someone who wants to donate can speak to someone to get their questions answered. Ideally you give a direct phone number (i.e. an office number that “rings through” to a cell or home number), but if that’s not possible, then at least ensure that somebody on your team will check messages throughout the day and return calls promptly. (If that “designated staff member” goes on vacation or is unavailable, make sure that someone else is assigned to monitor the calls on a daily basis.) You all work too hard to have your solicitations finally pan out, but then the donation doesn’t happen because the donor can’t get a question answered.